Adjustable and collapsible dress-form



A. D. BAILEY. ADJUSTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE DRESS FORM.

APPLICATON FILED SEPT. 24. 1919.

Patenta& May 3, 1921.

3 SHETS-SHEET 7 l 4 44 9 /%NW A. D. BAlLEY.

ADJUSTABLE AND COLLAPSIBLE DRESS FORM. APFLICATION FILED SEPT. 24. 1919.

l,376,502. Patented May 3, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A. D. BAlLEY.

ADJUSTABLE AND COLLAP SIBLE DRESS FORM. APPLICATION FLED SEPT. 24, 1919.

1,'376,502. Patented May 3, 19217.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES ANNA DEANE BAILEY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ADJ'USTABLE ANI) COLLAPSIBLE DRESS-FORM.

Application filed September 24, 1919.

T 0 all whom 'Zt may concm:

Be it known that I, ANNA DEANE BAILEY, a citizen of the United States, and resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, County, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Adjustable and Collapsible Dress-Forms, of

which the following is a specification.

i This invention relates to improvements in dress forms and has for its principal object the provision of a dress form so constructed that it may be readily made to accurately assume the size and shape of bodies of widely varying size and conformaton; the provision of a dress form which may be easily and quickly collapsed to form a package of small dimensions for purposes of storage, shipment, eto; and the provision of a collapsible and adjustable dress form of simple and inexpensive construction. Other objects of the invention will more fully hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 is a front elevation of the dress form in its maximum eXtended condition, ready for the application of the usual fitted jacket or princess slip thereto;

Fig. 2 a horizontal section on the line resilient devices shown in Fig. 2, showing the arrangement thereof at the center line of the front and back of the form;

Figs. 7 and 8 views similar to Figs. 5 and 6 illustrating the arrangement of the resilient devices shown in Fig. 3 at the center line of the front and back of the form;

Fig. 9 an enlarged vertical section on the line IX-IX of Fig. 2 showing the means :tor securing both forms of resilient devices at the sides of the form;

Fig. 10 a fragmentary perspective view, on a reduced scale, showing the form with a fitted jacket thereon;

Fig. 11 a plan view of the form collapsed;

Fig. 12 a vertical sectional View on the line XII- XII of Fig. 1;

Specfication of Letters Patent.

Serial No. !325,844.

Fig. 13 a detail sectional view on the line XIII- XIII of Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 a front elevation of the form collapsed. u

Referring to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates a base or supporting block preterably formed of wood and of general oval shape in plan view. Threaded into a socket 2 held to the base is a vertical standard or rod 3 divided into sections detachably connected end to end by threaded coupling sleeves 4. A circular neck block 5 prefer ably formed of wood and provided with a suitable threaded socket is detachably held to the upper end of the standard 3. The form supported on the standard comprises' generally an upper or torso portion and a lower or skirt portion the upper edge of which is held to the lower edge of the torso portion by stitches 6, as shown in Fig. 4:, and the lower edge of which is provided with a series of hooks 7 engagng in apertures in a series of small plates 8 held to the outer edge of the base or support 1.

The casing of the body or torso portion of the form is preferably made of two plies or.

thicknesses 9 and 10 of suitable fiexible material, such as drilling, canvas, linen, or the like, forming a double-walled casing cor-- responcling in size and shape with the torso of a human body of maximum dimensions. The skirt portion of the form is preferably made of a single ply of drilling or other suitable fabric 11 and also preferably tapers inwardly toward the base 1 and is provided With suitable parallelgraduations or skirt length gaging marks 12,. as shown. The two plies 9 and 10 of the torso portion are stitched together at intervals by substantially parallel circumferentially extending lines of stitches 13, thus forming a series of tubular passages or housings adapted to receive, position and guide the two-part compressible form-distending devices hereinafter described. The lines of stitches 13 are spaced varying distances apart to form two series of tubular passages 14: and 15 of different size, the larger passages 15 being arranged varying distances apart, as may be required to secure the best results.

In each tubular passage 14 is located a two-part laterally flexible, circnmferentially contractible form-distending means compris Patented May 3, 1921.

ing a pair of permanently bowed resilient members 16. The members 16 are normally of substantially smi-circular or semi-ovate form and are preferably madeof lengths of spring wire bent to form a loop 17 midway the ends thereof and loops or knobs 18 at the ends thereof. Each pair of coperating distending members 16 is Secured in place, with their ends overlapping at the center ofthe the members in their guides when the form is compressed.

In each of the 'tubular passages, guides or housngs 15 a compressible form-distending means is confined, said means comprising a contractible coiled spring 20, which may be either continuous or divided into independent sections, and a pair of permanently bowed resilient members 21, preferably formed of fiat strips of spring metal. The resilient members 21 serve to prevent bucklingof the eoiled springs 20 when the form is ontracted. Two of the members 21 are confined ineach tubular passage 15, said members extending through the coils of the springs 20 with their ends overlappng at the center of the front and back of the form and being Secured in place by stitches, staples, or other fastening means 22 passing through apertures 23 midway the ends of the members and through either or\ both walls 9 and 10 of the: two-ply body portion at the sides of the form.

The upper end ofthe neck section of the form is closed by a two-ply closure section 24: which rests upon the top of the neck block 5 and may be formed integrally with the fabric walls of the body of the 'orm or made of a separate piece or pieces of fabric, as desired. The neck section of the body part of the form is` also provided with tubular passages 14 and 15 in which are confined distending devices similar to those above described, and twopassages 14& with distending devices 16 therein eXtended around the sloping tops of the shoulder section of 'the form, as clearly shown in Figs. 1, 4, 11 and 12. In order to impart the proper arched formation from front to rear over the shoulder section of the form I provide a series of three resilient wire arch-forming members 25 for each shoulder. The members 25 are bent at their ends around one of the pairs of distending members 16, preferably that pair which extends around the bust portion just below the armpts. Said members 25 are preferably confined between strips of fabric 26 and the outer side of theinner ply 9 of the form casing, the iabric strips26being stitched to the ply 9 along opposite sides of the members 25.

Adjacent the lower end of the body portion of the form I provide a pair of tapes 27 stitch d at one end to the rear side of the form and adapted to have their free ends passed around the standard 3, and tied. It will be obvious that by letting out., ortaking up the tapes 2. either a full or straight hip eifect may be imparted to the compressible form. A similar pair of tapes 28 stitched to the front side of the form and adapted to be tied. around the standard 3 permit adjustment of the form for neither straight front effects or full front effects.

F rom the foregoing it will be ebvious that when the form is assembled asshown in Fig. 1 it may be made to assume the conformation desired by fitting or stretching over the form the usual fittedjacket or princessslip 29 provided with books and eyes or other fastening devices 35, as shown in Figs. 1 and 10. It will be obvious therefore that a single form constructed as de`- i scribed may be employed for fitting garments for many persons, having figures the 'conformation and size of which vary widely, since the form may be made to conform 'with the figure of any person within its maximum limits of adjustment,`by placing upon the same princ'ess slips or jackets previously made to fit the various persons. To facilitate distending the form to is normal size in the event that' any of the distending devices should bind after compression of the form by a fitted jacket of small size, I provide a series of finger loops 30 along each side of theform. The loops 30 may be made of tape stitched to the body part of the form.,

The dress form may be readily compacted into a package of small dimensione byunhooking the skirt portion and liftin the skirt and body portion of the form off the standard or support and 'collapsingj the same vertically as indicated in Figs. 11 and 14. The skirt portion ll may be slitup the back as shown in Fig. 4 to facilitate folding the same within the compactedbody portion and also to facilitate adjust-ment of the sleeves 4- to lengthen or Shorten the standard 3. i e

If desired, the front and back portion of the form adjacent the waist line: be connected byelastic tapes 31 having a loop 32 of lastic tape Secured thereto and extending around the standard 3. Thiselastic connection preferably inclines from 'front to rear, following the dip of the waist line. A similar elastc connection 33 may be provided through the chest portion of the form and at other points, if desired. These elastic connections serve to slightly flatten the dress form into general ovate form in horizontal section as shown in F igs. 2 and 3.

What I claim is:

1. An adjustable and vertically collapsible dress form comprising a casing of flexible material approximating the human form in conformation, and a plurality of vertically spaced circumferentially contractible casing-distending devices each of which extends circumferentially of the casing.

2. A contractible dress form comprising a fabric casing approximating the human form in shape, and contractible casing-distending means secured to said casing embodying a vertical series of resilient devices each of which extend circumferentially of the casing.

3. A dress form comprising a series of fiexible tubular housings flexibly connected with each other, and resilient form-distending means confined in said flexible housings.

4:. An adjustable dress form comprising a casing of flexible material, a plurality of contractible and laterally flexible casing distending devices each of which extends entirely around the casing, and means for maintaining said devices in vertically spaced relation within the casing.

5. An adjustable and collapsible dress form comprising a double-walled flexible casing approximating the general conformation of a human form, means connecting the inner and outer walls of said casing together at ntervals along circumferentially extending lines to form tubular passages, and laterally flexible and circumferentially contractible means confined in said tubular passages. v

6. An adjustable and vertically collapsible dress form comprising a double-Walled fabric casing, means connecting the inner and outer walls of the casing along vertically spaced circumferentially extending lines to form tubular passages extending around the casing, and laterally fiexible and circumferentially contractible resilient casing-distending means confined in said passages.

7. An adjustable and collapsible dress form, comprising a base, a standard supported on said base having sections detachably connected end to end, a neck block connected with the upper end of said standard, a casing of flexible material approximating in shape the torso of a human form surrounding the upper portion of said standard and supported at its upper end by the neck block, a skirt form of flexible material secured at its upper end to the lower end of said casing and detachably secured at its lower end to the base, and a vertical series of laterally flexible and circumferentially contractible casing-distending devices extending circumferentially of the casing.

8. An adjustable and collapsible dress form, comprising a base, a standard supported on said base having sections detach- .ably connected end to end, a neck block connected with the upper end of said standard, a casing of fiexible material approximating in shape the torso of a human form surrounding the upper portion of said standard and supported at its upper end by the neck block, a skirt form of flexible material secured at its upper end to the lower end of said casing and detachably secured at its lower end to the base, a vertical series of laterally fiexible and circumferentially contractible casing-distending devices extending circumferentially of the casing, and independently adjustable means connecting the hip and abdominal portions of the casing with the standard.

9. An adjustable and collapsible 'dress -form, comprising a base, a standard supported on said base having sections detachably connected end to end, a neck block connected with the upper end of said standard, a casing of flexible material approximating in shape the torso of a human form surrounding the upper portion of said standard and supported at its upper end by the neck block, a skirt form of flexible material secured at its upper end to the l-ower end of said casing and detachably secured at its lower end to the base, a vertical series of 'laterally flexible and circumferentially contractible casing-distending devices extending circumferentially of the casing, and elastic means connecting the front and rear portions of the casing substantially at the Wast-line thereof.

10. An adjustable and collapsible dress form comprising a casing of fiexible material, and means for normally distending the casing to its maximum size embodying a vertical series of two-part resilient devices extending circumferentially of the casing.

ll. An adjustable and vertically collapsible dress form comprising a casing of flexible material, a vertical series of two-part resilient distending devices extending circumferentially of the casin with the ends of the two parts thereof o-ver apping at the front and back of the casing, means for connecting the parts of the distending devices with the casing at the sides of the casing, and means for guiding the free ends of the parts of the distending devices.

12. An adjustable and vertically collapsible dress form comprising a casing of flexible material, a vertical series of two-part resilient distending devices extending circumferentially of the casing with the ends of i the two parts thereof overlapping at the ble dress form comprising a casing of flexible material, a vertical series of two-part resilient distending devices extending circumferentially of the casing with the ends of the ,two parts thereof overlapping at the front and back of the casing, means for connecting the parts of the distending devices with the casing at the sides of the casing, means for guiding the free ends of the parts of the distending devices, and adjustable means for 'varying the maximum distance between the front and back of the casing at the hip and abdominal pcrtions thereof.

14:. An adjustable and collapsible dress ;form comprsing a casing of fiexible mate-4 rial approximatng the general conformation of a human body and provided with a series of circumferentially extendng tubular housings, a pair of substantially semicircular resilient metallic members confined in each of said housings with their ends overlapping, and-means for positively connecting each of said members with the casing intermediate its ends.

715. An .ad'ustable and collapsible dress form comprising a casing 'o'f'fiexible mate: rial approximating the general' conformation of a human body and provided with a series of circumferentially extending tubular housings, a pair of substantially semicircular resilient metallic members confined in each of said housings with their ends overlapping, means for po sitively connecting each of said members With the casing superposed continuous fiexible tubular housngs flexibly connected With each other, and divided resilient form-dstending devices confined in said housings and extending entirely around the form.

' 18. A dress form comprising a series of superposed fleXible tubular housings flexibly connected together, divided resilient elements confined in said housings with the end portions thereof overlapping, and coiled springs confined in certain of said housings a and extending circumferentially of the form. y

19. A dress formcomprising a flexible casing approximating the torsc of ?a human form in conformaton, a vertical series of contractible casing-distending devices extending circumferentially of the casing, and

'bowed resilient casing-distending devices extending from the front to the rear sides of the casing over the shoulder portions thereof.

20. A dress form comprising a vertical series of continuous flexible tubular housings flexibly connected together to form a casing approximating the general conformation of a human form, resilient circumferentially' contractible casing-distending means confihed in said housings, bowed resilient members extending over the shoulder portions of the casing, and means for holding said bowed members in place.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afliX my signature. r ANNA DEANE BAILEY. 

